Keys to Victory: No. 5 Clemson at NC State

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Each week we give you a look at the history of the game, three keys to success, plus our staff predictions.

The Match-Up:

#5 Clemson (9-0, 6-0 ACC) vs NC State (4-4, 1-3 ACC)

Clemson vs. NC State 2018

Clemson vs. NC State 2017

All-Time Series:

Clemson leads: 58-28-1
at Clemson: Clemson leads 29-11-1
at NC State: Clemson leads 21-16
Neutral: Clemson leads 8-1
Last Meeting: Clemson won 41-7 (2018)
Last NC State win: 37-13 (2011)
Streak: Clemson has won 7 straight in the series

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Stat of the Week:

Clemson enters this week as the lone 9-0 team in the FBS and is in search of its ninth consecutive 10-win season dating to 2011. A ninth-straight 10-win season would tie Clemson with the 2001-09 Texas Longhorns for the third-longest streak of 10-win seasons in FBS history.

*- Active Streak

Depending on the results of an earlier contest, the game could present an opportunity for Clemson to clinch a berth in the ACC Championship Game. A Clemson victory preceded by a Wake Forest loss to Virginia Tech would clinch the ACC Atlantic crown for Clemson for the fifth consecutive season.

A win today would be Clemson's 25th in a row, extending its current school record. It would mark only the 28th winning streak of 25 or more games in major college football history.

Key 1: Maintain Balance

Clemson is one of only two teams averaging more than 250 yards per game both rushing and passing. At 273.0 passing yards per game and 272.4 rushing yards per game, Clemson is less than a full yard per game away from perfect run/pass balance in terms of average yards per game.

The Tigers ground game is sure to have a good performance against NC State, more on that in a moment, but the aerial assault should also be in play against and banged up Wolfpack secondary. 

Expect Trevor Lawrence to find Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross, and company on a regular basis under Carter-Finley’s lights.

Key 2: Power Past 

Clemson (two) needing one more 400-yard rushing game in 2019 to break the school record for 400-yard rushing games in a season (two each by the 1950, 1992 and 2018 squads). If Clemson accomplished the feat this week, it would be the program's third time posting consecutive 400-yard rushing games (1992 vs. Chattanooga and Virginia, and 1950 vs. Presbyterian and Missouri).

Travis Etienne currently ranks 5th in the country in rushing yards with 1,102 and facing the Wolfpack could mean a huge day and possibly a chance to slide into the Top 3.

NC State gave up 429 yards on the ground to Boston College and 223 of those came behind A.J. Dillon’s legs. 

Even with the near-perfect blend on offense, expect Etienne and Lyn-J Dixon to have a big day behind Clemson’s dominating offensive front.

Key 3: Up and Out

This isn’t really a key to the game, but given the CFB Playoff rankings, it seems safe to assume that Clemson will try to put up big numbers against NC State. The thing that feels most important about that is how quickly they do it. 

The goal should be to get up big as quickly as possible and get the starters out of the game.

Prediction:

It wasn’t that long ago that NC State looked like a team that might push Clemson in the Atlantic Division. Instead, it now appears that Dave Doeren could be in deep trouble as the Pack have looked like a team that’s in disarray. 

At 4-4, the Wolfpack have defeated East Carolina, Western Carolina, Ball State, and Syracuse, not exactly the stiffest competition. 

In their four losses, West Virginia scored 44 points, FSU put up 31, Boston College hit 45, and Wake Forest scored 44. 

After being ranked No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings, you have to think the Tigers are going to put on another huge scoring display this weekend. In honor of almost nailing the final score last weekend with a 59-7 prediction, I’m sticking with that same score against the Wolfpack. 

Swanny’s Prediction: 59-7 Clemson

Final Score Predictions: 

Perfect Prediction = 5 points              Best Prediction = 3 Points         Correct Prediction = 1 Point 

👑= 2018 Prediction Champion

**Pick of the Week: Indicates the best prediction.